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Chapter 4 | Dynamics: Force and Newton's Laws of Motion 143
4 DYNAMICS: FORCE AND NEWTON'S LAWS OF MOTION
Figure 4.1 Newton’s laws of motion describe the motion of the dolphin’s path. (credit: Jin Jang)
Chapter Outline
4.1. Development of Force Concept
4.2. Newton's First Law of Motion: Inertia
4.3. Newton's Second Law of Motion: Concept of a System 4.4. Newton's Third Law of Motion: Symmetry in Forces
4.5. Normal, Tension, and Other Examples of Force
4.6. Problem-Solving Strategies
4.7. Further Applications of Newton's Laws of Motion
4.8. Extended Topic: The Four Basic Forces—An Introduction
Connection for AP® Courses
Motion draws our attention. Motion itself can be beautiful, causing us to marvel at the forces needed to achieve spectacular motion, such as that of a jumping dolphin, a leaping pole vaulter, a bird in flight, or an orbiting satellite. The study of motion is kinematics, but kinematics only describes the way objects move—their velocity and their acceleration. Dynamics considers the forces that affect the motion of moving objects and systems. Newton’s laws of motion are the foundation of dynamics. These laws provide an example of the breadth and simplicity of principles under which nature functions. They are also universal laws in that they apply to situations on Earth as well as in space.
Isaac Newton’s (1642–1727) laws of motion were just one part of the monumental work that has made him legendary. The development of Newton’s laws marks the transition from the Renaissance into the modern era. This transition was characterized by a revolutionary change in the way people thought about the physical universe. For many centuries natural philosophers had debated the nature of the universe based largely on certain rules of logic, with great weight given to the thoughts of earlier